Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1887-08-19
Great Fire in PittSburg.

Great Fire in PittSburg.
Fifth avenue in Pittsburg was
never more densely crowded than it
was last Friday night during the fire
that destroyed three of the most
valuable buildings on the street.
Masonic Hall, Hamilton's music
store and Office building, and part OF
Schmidt Il fridays liquor store and
Office building. The Hamilton and
Schmidt & Friday buildings were
eight stories high, and Hamilton's
was surmounted by a tower that
made it the highest building in the
city.
The alarm sounded from the box
at Fifth avenue and Smithfield street
at $50 O'Clock, and all the engines in
the district were on the scene in less
than 10 minutes. The fire was found
to be burning in the basement Of that
part of Masonic Hall occupied by
Henry Hoffman, upholsterer and
furniture dealer, and originated in
some excelcer stored therein.
A dense volume of smoke was the
first evidence of the magnitude of the
work that greeted the fremen. There
were no early indications of stubborn
ness and the firemen sent several
streams Of water into the basement,
expecting usual results. Still the
volumes of smoke issued from every
creyice, danser aid thicker than at
first. In l5 minutes blaze of dark,
lurid fire shot out into the darkness
in the store room of Campbell &
Dick. In few moments stream
of water broke the plate glass win
dows ON its way to quench the ad-
vancing fire. The stream was pow
erless to check it, however, and an
other and another followed it, but
the flames had found the shelves
burdened with light calicoes, muslins
and cotton goods and was devouring
them regardless OF the many efforts
of the fremen 10 drown them out.
The interior of the great store
room. filled as it was with articles of
combustible nature, was soon O
sheet of seethipg flames and for a
half hour the combined efforts of the
iremen, front and rear, were power
less to extiDguish it.
Meantime the fire had extended to
the buildings in the rear of Masonic
Hall and next the attention of the
fremen was directed to putting it
out of them. Another alarm was
sent in followed by another till every
engine in the city was on the ground
and an appeal was sent to Allegheny
| for assistance.
The Pittsburg fremen found that
the cellar was the seat of the fire and
aga in directed their efforts to drive it
out. This was slow work and in the
main unsatisfactory, for as soon as
the flames died away in one corner Of
the cellar they sprung up again in
another
Once the flames had broken through
the floor of the first story they had
little difficulty in extending to the
second floor, and in few minutes
both floors were burning at the same
time. Shortly before III O'Clock they
found an approach to the roof through
the medium of the elevator fume
In 10 minutes more the top of the
building was afame and the hook
and ladder truck was unlimbered and
bought into requisition. Again
division of the men was made in or
der to fight the fire at another and
very disadvantageous point. A
dozen men mounted to the roof and
took position on the ladder, and in
Is minutes the fire on the roof was
under apparent control.
Below, the men on the pavement
were throwing useless streams on the
fire in the first and second floors and
down into the darkness OF the cellar.
Soon the Holtzmn store room, ad-
Joining the store of Campbell & Dick,
was one sheet of fame. In 10 min
utes O,0O0 worth Of goods were
burneI.
Again the fire obtained possession
of the roof, and this time refused to
be swept off by the streams thrown
upon it. The wind famed and en-
couraged it. The flames gained in
volume, and their beat intensified and
routed their pursuer5. They adV&nc-
ed aud drovc them down the ladder
almost to the foot. They leaped up,
and still higher, till they took hold
upon the woodwork Of the supposed
fre-proof Hamilton building. The
glass broke and they entered the
building and took hold upon the floor
ing, the wainscoating and the tim bers
under the roof The west wind cool
ed The brows Of the painting tireaien,
but it was an inspiration the liames
and with renewed yigor and volume
they took hold of the tower OF the
building and in u moment were lying
in the winds with the flag and play
ing strange music on the strings OF
Auphcan Tyre that surmounted the
dome.
The scene at this moment was
weird, grand, beautiful. Sparks rose
in dense masss OF smoke TO al al5l-
tude of several hundred feet above
the building and fell in sho wcr OF
glimmering glory over en- area COW
ering several squares From the
rear of the building pillar of fame
burst forth like huge volume of wa
ter and appalled, and disheartened the
firemcn for a moment. 1t rushed
forward and it took hold of the tow
er at it's base Shingles, structural
iron and flagstaff were soon enwrap-
ped. Finally toe foundation supports
were burned off and the conical tow.
er fell with crash 70 the street 200
feet below, the flag as it fell and re-
VOWED punching the heavy plate
glass wiadows OUT of the building.
Meantime the hlmes had been
working downward through the floor
ing of the building and at l2o'clock
the four upper floors were completely
enveloped, the flames issuing from
the front and rear windows at the
same time. The Offices on these
floors were all in the;path of fire, and
their contents all of the most valuable
character, were readily destroyed.